This blog is about encouraging, empowering and equipping Ordinary Christians live an intentionally missional life that shine the Light of Christ brightly back into this dark world. We will provide training on on developing the basic skills necessary for living a life of a missionary; Biblical insights that will empower Ordinary Christians to share their faith; and inspirational stories of other Ordinary Christians who are living a life on mission with Christ.
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2015
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
MISSIONAL LIVING MEANS YOUR ARE TAKING A WALK OF FAITH!: How Strong Is Your Walk
About that time God began to do a work in George's life to start praying like he had never prayed before. George's prayers were to ask God to assign him to a ministry that could only be done and explained by the Christians of his time as an act of God. George wanted Christians to learn and believe that their God still heard their prayers and would be faithful to answer them, if they would just pray in faith and that faith only needed to be the size of a mustard seed.
God led Pastor Mueller to a particular Bible verse that he held onto for the rest of his life and in which he would place his trust God. That Bible passage was:
"Open wide your mouth and I will fill it."
Psalm 81:10
George believed that God was giving him a promise through that verse that He, God, and God alone would be the one to meet his needs and the needs of the ministry that God would assign him to do. From that verse Pastor Mueller was led by God to a walk in faith which became a powerful example and testimony to everyone watching. When George felt led by God to do some particular ministry, he would pray to God alone for the resources needed and told no one else of the need.
George wanted all to know that God had provided for the needs of the ministry through the answers of prayers of faith.
Here are some of the things that God did through George Mueller during that "Walk of Faith" time of his ministry:
- The Scriptural Knowledge Institute for distributing of scripture and for religious education was started.
- He established 4 orphanages houses that cared for 2,000 children at a time. Over 10,000 children had been provided for through those orphanages.
- He distributed over 8 million dollars that had been given to him in answer to prayer. When he died at the age of 93, his personal worldly possessions were valued at only $800.00.
An important note here for us to emphasis here is that Pastor George Mueller "NEVER" asked anyone for any of the money that was given to him.
The Only Person That Rev. George Mueller Ever Asked For Help Was
GOD!
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Question #1: How strong is your faith in God?
Question #2: Do you believe that God still answers our prayers?
Question #3: What ministry are you doing, as an act of faith, that God has led you to do?
Question #4: What will you do as an act of faith today?
Saturday, January 19, 2013
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FISH: A Principle On Missional Living
So what do I mean by the title? What missional living principle can we learn from the statement, "I Don't Have Enough Fish."? To understand this we need to look at John 6:1-13:
"Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, 'Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?' He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, 'It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!' Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 'Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?' Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down.' There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks,and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten."So now I think you are beginning to understand what I mean by the title. Here Jesus assigned a task for his disciples to go find or buy food for the crowd of over 5,000 people so they could eat. The Bible said that Jesus assigned that task because he already knew what he was going to do and so he could test them to reveal the state of their faith. Phillip looked at the practicality and impossibility of fulfilling that request. Not even half a years wage would be enough to feed that many people. Andrew began looking for a solution and found a boy with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes but then he quickly realized that the need was far greater than the resources that were available. The interesting thing is that both of these men were correct! There wasn't enough money and there wasn't enough food! From a practical standpoint Jesus' request was impossible. Andrews statement says a lot about the faith that all of the disciples had at that point in their life. When he said, "... but how far will they go among so many?" All they could see was the size of the of the task and how limiting the resources were. What they didn't see was how powerful the one who request the work to be done! They're faith had not grown to the place where they could say with full confidence that God can do anything, through anybody, including them and their small resources.
How many times have we found ourselves to be just like the disciples in this story? We are faced with a task given to us by our Lord and as we look around to see what we have and as we look inside to see what we have to offer we quickly realize that we are sadly and greatly inadequate in the needed provisions to accomplish the task. We look and all we see is our sad and puny self and we give up, never attempting what Christ is commanding, because our faith hasn't grown to the place where we can sincerely say that our God is able to do anything, through anybody, including me.
I just love the way Jesus handled the situation. He didn't rebuke them or scold them. He just told them to have the crowd sit down. It's almost as if he was saying, "Ok, get everyone comfortable because I'm about to show you, my disciples, something that will absolutely blow your minds! And blow their minds it did!
Then as the people were sitting down on the grass and getting comfortable Jesus took the bread and fish and blessed it. He asked our Heavenly Father to use what was provided to meet the need that was apparent. After praying over it he had the disciples begin to distribute the food as far as it would go. In this Jesus was showing how sincere and powerful faith is demonstrated. Jesus took what they had available, prayed for God's blessing and then started meeting the need with what they had. It was as simple as that.
The disciples began to meet the need with what was available and were not going to stop until one of two things happened. They would stop if the resources ran out or they would stop when the need was met. Either way, whatever came first, they would stop then and only then. To much of their surprise and amazement it wasn't the resources that ran out first - it was the need that was met that came first. Can you imagine with me how the disciples must have been when Jesus gave them the fish and bread and said after his prayer, "OK guys you're on. Go distribute the food!" I don't if they were laughing under their breath while doing what he said or if they were thinking that what Jesus was asking was a total waste of time. The Bible doesn't say what they were thinking but I know what I would be thinking and I can assure you it wouldn't sound like much faith. But they were faithful in doing what Jesus asked and as a result they were able to experience God's power.
When they finished distributing the food everyone had eaten. When they had finished collecting up the remains there were 12 basket full of food. One basked collected by each of the twelve disciples. Now that' what I call amazing. You see when we give God all that we have for him to use to meet the needs that he has revealed we discover that God's blessing are overflowing to his faithful servants. And what an important lesson was learned about the missional lifestyle that Christ commands us to live. What exactly is that principle? It's this:
It's Not The Size Of What You Have To Offer God That Makes The Difference
It's The Power Of God That Bless' It That Will Multiply It"
So here's a simple process to assist you as you step out in faith and offer to God whatever you have, great or small to be used by him to shine the light of Christ back in this spiritually dark world:
- Recognize the need that Christ is revealing to you.
- Access what resources you have to meet that need.
- Offer those resources to God for his blessing.
- Start meeting that need until one of two things happen - either the need is completely met and no longer a need or when you're resources run out. It's a good bet that the need will be met before the resources run out.
- When the need is met collect what remains of the resources and stand amazed on the increase of God's blessings.
In conclusion: Don't worry about how many fish you have! It matters not! Concentrate on how big your faith is and believe that God truly can do anything, through anybody, including you and whatever you have to offer him. But remember faith without deeds is dead! In order to prove your faith once you've asked for God's blessing you have to step out on faith and start distributing the bread.
GO SHINE YOUR THE LIGHT OF CHRIST
IN YOUR PART OF THIS DARK WORLD!
I would like to encourage you, empower you and equip you as you develop the missional life that Christ has commanded us to live and to shine Christ Light in this dark world. If have developed a Facebook Page called: THE ORDINARY CHRISTIAN. Log on and become a fan by clicking "LIKE" and you will begin receiving daily inspiration to live this missional life.
Monday, October 29, 2012
COMMUNITY PRAYER FAIRS
In North America we live in a time where people are desperate and need hope. As Followers of Christ it is our place to lift up people in prayer to God and ask God to meet their needs and thus show himself as real. In Tucson Fellowship Of The Cross sponsored a Community Prayer Fair where we invited the community to come out to a park and receive for whatever need they had. There is power in prayer for our God is all powerful. I would encourage you to consider sponsoring a prayer fair in your own community.
Suggestions For Hosting A Prayer Fair:
- Conduct it in a public place like a city park surrounded by a neighborhood and not at your church facility.
- Have music playing either with a live band or piped in using your ipod.
- Have 2 to 3 people ready to give their personal testimony over the the speakers to share the power, presence and provision of Christ.
- Have prayer warriors trained and posted in different places around the park.
- Have a welcome table where you can pass out Bibles and to escort them to where different prayer warriors are at.
- Share the plan of salvation and how people can come to faith in Christ.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
LIVING THE MISSIONAL LIFE: PICNIC OR WARFARE
Too often I think Christians have a poor and even dangerous view of what it is to be intentional about living a missional life. There is way to much romancing and glamorizing and when the reality of what a missional lifestyle is really like is made known disillusionment and discouragement quickly set in. It's kind of like the heroic and brave stories we hear about war where the hero sacrifices his life to save his fellow comrades with the beautiful angelic music playing. It shares all the glory but very little of the blood, guts, pain and sorrow. I personally think that the comparison of a soldier in wartime and the Christian living a missional life is very appropriate. The reason I feel this way is because
THE MISSIONAL LIFE IS THE WARRIOR'S LIFE!
As fully devoted followers of Christ we must never forget that we are not on a picnic where we are sipping lemonade and eating fried chicken. No! The life we are called to is a life in the midst of a raging battle where our enemy, Satan, is like a hungry lion seeking to attack and devour whomever he may. This is the reason why the Apostle Paul admonishes us to put on the full Armor of God; watch and pray; and stand and resist. Of all people the Apostle Paul knows all to well what lies ahead for those who choose to follow Christ on this mission. Paul had been stoned, whipped, imprisoned, shipwrecked, falsely accused of wrong doing, hated by his countrymen, and eventually beheaded for his faith in Jesus Christ. Over and over again Paul warns Christians to expect persecution as a normal part of the life of a Follower of Christ.
THE MISSIONAL CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE IS NOT A LIFE FOR THE WEAK AND FEARFUL! IT IS A LIFE FOR THE WARRIOR READY TO FACE HIS ENEMY!
It is as if, when a person determines and announces that they are going to live a life for Christ and intentionally pursue the mission that Christ has commissioned, that Satan says,
"Oh really! So you think you are going to come into my territory, knock down my walls and liberate my slaves! I don't think so! No way! It's not going to happen!"
And then Satan goes up into the heavens, just as he did with Job and with the Apostle Peter, and demands permission from God to sift you like wheat. That's right. Satan is going to demand that God give him permission to spiritually attack you, to test your metal and to see if he can find any chinks in your armor. I mean, really, do we honestly believe that when we come to a place in our walk with Christ where we decide to follow him and obey him fully that it is going to go unchallenged by Satan? When we decide to live a missional life for the cause of Christ we have put a bullseye on our shirt that says,
"SATAN I DARE YOU TO TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT!"
Do your really think he won't? Here's the crazy part! THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN GOD GRANTS HIM THAT PERMISSION.
How crazy is that? Doesn't that sound unkind of God? Why would God, who loves us, allow our enemy to attack us and possibly do harm to us? That doesn't sound like love! Does it?
A nation that intends to defend itself from their enemy will put together an army to fight on their behalf. The first thing that every new recruit goes through is basic training where they learn how to be an effective warrior. Why? Why put them through this training? Is it not so these new recruits will have the best possible chance of survival before they're thrust into the battlefield? In the same way God knows that the world is hostile to Him and those who belong to Him. He knows that we have a real enemy who truly does hate us! And God allows Satan to attack us but with limitations so that we can gain battle experience and strengthen our faith in God for even bigger challenges that will come our way.
Satan's goal is obvious. He desires to destroy our faith in God and leave us wounded and bleeding in the gutter! However, God has a different goal in mind. James 1:2 says,
Unless God Knows Something We're Not Thinking About!
A nation that intends to defend itself from their enemy will put together an army to fight on their behalf. The first thing that every new recruit goes through is basic training where they learn how to be an effective warrior. Why? Why put them through this training? Is it not so these new recruits will have the best possible chance of survival before they're thrust into the battlefield? In the same way God knows that the world is hostile to Him and those who belong to Him. He knows that we have a real enemy who truly does hate us! And God allows Satan to attack us but with limitations so that we can gain battle experience and strengthen our faith in God for even bigger challenges that will come our way.
Satan's goal is obvious. He desires to destroy our faith in God and leave us wounded and bleeding in the gutter! However, God has a different goal in mind. James 1:2 says,
"Consider it all joy ... when you encounter various trials know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect, complete and lacking in nothing."
Did you catch that? The trials, the difficulties and, yes. even spiritual warfare is designed by God to test our faith in order to make it stronger and make us complete with nothing lacking. Now that's truly amazing? While Satan wants to destroy our faith, God intends to use what Satan does to make our faith in Christ even stronger.
From the story of Job and Peter there are a three encouraging truths about spiritual warfare we need to understand:
- First, when Satan attacks us he first has to get permission from God to do so. Satan can't attack us any time he desires. He is never going to pull a fast one on God where he sneaks in an attack that God didn't know was coming. In the story of Job we first see Satan coming before God seeking permission from Him to attack Job and thereby prove that Job's faith in God was weak. It was only after God gave permission that Satan went out and attacked Job. The same was true of Peter! On the night that Jesus was to be arrested Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times. After Peter insisted that he would never deny Christ, Jesus looked at Peter and said that Satan had demanded permission to sift him like wheat. Once again we see that before Satan could attack he first had to get permission from God.
- Second, once Satan receives permission he cannot do anything he wants because God also sets the conditions and limitations to what Satan is able to do. On the first attack against Job God placed the condition that Job himself could not be touched. So Satan went out and destroyed all his wealth and had all his children were killed. For the second attack God said that yes he could attack Job physically but could not kill him. Here we learn that when it comes to spiritual warfare Satan has to work within the boundaries that God has established.
- Thirdly, in the story of Peter when Jesus tells him that Satan has asked permission to sift him like wheat we also hear Jesus tell him, "But I have prayed for you..." The Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews that the resurrected Christ is now standing before God our Father as our High Priest always making intercession on our behalf. Now that's a powerful thought. The Son of God himself is constantly praying on our behalf during our greatest times of spiritual testing and warfare. NOW THAT'S THE GREATEST PRAYER WARRIOR EVER FIGHTING FOR US!
NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THIS MISSIONAL LIFE WE ARE CALLED TO IS NOT A PICNIC BUT A RAGING BATTLE HOW ARE WE TO LIVE?
First, every morning we you get up to start your day remember that you are going out to war. It's not a picnic, it's not a party, no, it's a battle! Therefore, suit up! Put on the full armor of God! Don't forget any piece but pray it fully on so that you are fully protected from Satan when he attacks. And rest assured he will attack. He is looking for a weak spot, a vulnerable place or a chink in your armor. If you are not careful to put on the full armor he will find that weak spot. So don't make it easy for him by failing to spend time in prayer before you start your day.
Second, throughout the day keep watching and praying. Just as a soldier out on patrol walking through a potential battlefield is staying watchful for any sign of the enemy, so you must be watchful for any sign that Satan is around. Satan, like a lion, is hiding and blending into the surroundings waiting for the most opportune time to pounce on his prey. The soldiers who aren't watchful make it easy. But do not only be watchful but also be praying. From where does our strength and power come to defeat our enemy? From ourselves? No! It comes from God. Quite literally it is God who fights our battle but He does it through us. Prayer is the conduit from which the power flows from the throne of God into our lives to defeat our enemies. A Christian who fails to pray continuously is like a soldier who has gone out to battle and has forgotten to bring his weapon.
According to Jesus failing to watch and pray is the exact reason why Peter lost his spiritual battle on the night that Jesus was arrested. In the garden Jesus had instructed Peter, James, and John to pray but then Jesus returned He did not find them praying but sleeping. He woke them and admonished them all but named Peter specifically to:
"keep watching and praying that you might not fall into temptation..."
And we know the next part of the story. They still were unable to stay awake and the result was the loss of a spiritual battle for them and in particular Peter.
Third, you need to stand and resist! The armies of old when they would fight with swords and shields would form a battle line where the soldiers would stand shoulder to shoulder with their shields forming one solid and hopefully impenetrable wall. The opposing army would run and charge them ramming into their shields hoping to create a break into the wall. The soldiers that formed the wall would stand firm and hold up their shields to buffet the assault and try very hard not to break the line thereby allowing a crack to form in the wall. These soldiers would continue to hold up their shields between them and their enemy until the initial push was stopped. Once they were able to withstand the initial assault and stop the push the soldiers would push back against their charging enemy with their shields creating a small little space between them and their enemy. They then would take their swords or spears and stab and kill the enemy that was right in front of them and then go back and form their wall of protection. Over and over again they would do this until the charging army suffered such losses that they would retreat like a dogs with their tails between their legs.
This is what is meant when the Bible tells us to STAND and RESIST! We stand with our shield of faith in the Lord Jesus protecting us when we see our enemy, Satan, charging with an attack. Once we have buffeted Satan's initial charge with our shield and stopped him in his tracks, we take our weapon, the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of Truth and we stab him with it. Our faith in Jesus stops Satan but it is our use of the Bible and scripture that allows us to fight back. That's exactly what Jesus did when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness after fasting for 40 days. He used the Word of God as a weapon to fight off Satan's attack against him.
Now here's a wonderful promise that the Bibe gives us! It says that if we resist the devil he will flee from us. That's right, you stand with your faith in Christ and you resist him by fighting back with the Word of God Satan will run away. Once he figures out that there is no way to crack your defense and fight off your attack on him he will run off but only for a while. Isn't that what he did with Job! After Job successfully fought off the first attack Satan asked permission a second time to have a whack at him.
Now please understand that the Bible says that if we resist Satan he will flee from us. BUT IT DOESN'T SAY TO RESIST TEMPTATION! Those are two totally different things. The Bible tells us that when it comes to temptation we are to flee and run from it. The best way to overcome temptation is to get away from it and put your focus on something totally different and wholesome.
SO HERE IS THE FINAL THOUGHT I WANT TO LEAVE WITH YOU. THE MISSIONAL LIFE IS NOT A PICNIC OR PARTY IT'S A BATTLE WITH A REAL ENEMY THAT REQUIRES US TO BE PREPARED TO ENGAGE HIM WHEN HE ATTACKS.
How well do you prepare yourself each day for battle? Are you making sure you are putting on the full armor of God? Are you watching and praying? Are you ready to stand and resist? The promise of victory is ours for the battle always belongs to the Lord.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Getting The Power To Pursue Christ's Mission: 2nd Update
This is the second update about how God's power came upon us at Valley Baptist Church after a week of intense and intentional prayer. This is a continuation of the salvation story of Chris and Sylvia Moore. There's an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. So with that in mind let me introduce to you our new sister in Christ: Sylvia. These are the pictures of her baptism this last Sunday, December 12, 2010
Our participation in Sylvia's salvation along with her husband, father-in-law and sister-in-law is a direct result from our church daring to pray for God's power and for God to show us where he was working. When the prayers go up the power comes down to be effective witnesses of Christ. Actually it is God through us being the effective witness.
Come on church and come on Christians let's get serious about being devoted to prayer so we can be the effective witnesses God wants us to be.
Our participation in Sylvia's salvation along with her husband, father-in-law and sister-in-law is a direct result from our church daring to pray for God's power and for God to show us where he was working. When the prayers go up the power comes down to be effective witnesses of Christ. Actually it is God through us being the effective witness.
Come on church and come on Christians let's get serious about being devoted to prayer so we can be the effective witnesses God wants us to be.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Why Is Spiritual Light So Dim In North America?
As part of the Sermon On The Mount Jesus shared these words that give us an important insight into pursuing the mission Christ has given us. He said,
"You are the light of world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
It's not hard to understand the point that Jesus is making from this imagery. The primary purpose of light is to illuminate an area and thereby dispel the darkness so that people are able to clearly see. At the very heart of our mission is for us to be those luminaries by which people can see clearly. Our lives are to be such a powerful force of light that people are able to clearly see Jesus and understand the gospel of Christ. It is God's responsibility, through the Holy Spirit, to convict people of their sin and draw people to Christ but it is the job of Christ's followers to the light that illuminates in the spiritual darkness.
But if the pollsters are correct the Christian luminaries of North America are doing a pretty horrible job. All reports indicate that the Christian faith is in decline and that the fastest growing religious group is those people who claim "NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION" at all. That group has more than doubled between surveys and is the third largest group overall. If present trends continue this group could easily become the largest Religious Identification Group of all throughout North America. Why? What has happened to the North American Church that has caused its light to not shine as brightly as it once did? These are the questions that haunt my mind and soul and for which I deliberately seek the scripture for answers.
I think the Apostle Peter might have an answer for us to this question. As I was reading 1 Peter 2:11,12 it became obviously clear to me that he was thinking of Jesus' words during the Sermon on the Mount about us being the light of the world. At one point Peter almost quotes Jesus. Read what it says,
"Dear Friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
There it is, "see our good deeds and glorify God..." That's almost exactly what Jesus said about being the light of the world! Our desire and ambition should be to live good lives and perform good deeds so that we bring honor and glory to God. But it's the first part of the verse that I feel is the key to making sure our light doesn't dim or flicker out! Peter pleads with and urges Christ's followers to abstain from the sinful desires of the world. Peter is warning Christians that failure to stay pure and live holy lives will result in lost people not seeing our good deeds (our light) and,thereby, not be able to glorify God. I truly believe that there is a direct correlation between Christians not living holy lives and lost people not seeing the light that can lead them to Jesus. Therefore, it doesn't surprise me when I hear that studies reveal that the morality of Christian's of North America is statistically no different from those in North America who don't claim to be Christians. We have done exactly what Peter begs Christians not to do. As followers of Christ we have failed to abstain and in some cases wholeheartedly embraced the sinful desires of the world.
If we are going to be serious about pursuing the mission that Christ has called us to, we have to be serious about living holy lives. While we are actively pursuing lost people, while we are hanging out with them, while we are going where they are, we must always remain pure and holy. Otherwise all will be for naught. What do we need to do in order to become effective and obedient in pursuing Christ's mission? We need to start with REPENTANCE! Listen to the words of God to his people:
"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, seek after my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chron. 7:14
DON'T GET TIRED IN DOING GOOD! YOU WILL REAP A HARVEST, IF YOU DON'T GROW TIRED AND IF YOU DON'T GIVE UP. LET'S BE FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST. LET'S LIVE THE HOLY LIFE WE WERE CALLED TO!
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